Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-12-02
CHAPTER II.
GEN. Mitchell MAKES WAR WITH AsTRO
NOMICAL PRECISION.


GEN. Mitchell MAKES WAR WITH AsTRO-
NOMICAL PRECISION
The promptncss and CELEBRITY of the
movement by which Gen. Mitchell sur
prised the enemy in his front and cleared
the way for stills greater enterprises was
hardly, if at all equaled by anything on
the Union side during the whole contest.
Pouring rain, flooded creeks and bridges
swept away did not delay him moment
beyond his calculations, though they add
ed enormously to the discomforts of the
army under his command. Probably his
scientific training was to some extent re
spOnsiblc for his appreciation of the value
of minutes. Astronomers are accustomed
to deal with the thousandth part of sec
Ondl and Mitchell, in his baCkwoods OBJ
servatory had invented instruments
which made stellar records with more
precision than any astronomer who had
gone before him, and thus won world
wide fame in this department. He car
ried the same qualities into the army.
Leaving Shelbyville for a forced march
the morning after the Andrews raid had
started on its perilOus way, and in exact
time to secure the largest results from its
CO-Operat iOn-fOr its work was also to be
done at a fixed period-he reached the vi
Cinity of Huntsville before the enemy had
the slightest intimatiOn of his approach;
then rOusing his men at midnight by the
light of the setting moon, he finished his
march in the darkness, and came upon
the sleeping town in the morning twilight,
capturing everything-storcS, messages.
| locomotives, trains and all the supplies of
| the railroad.
This wa: glorious triumph but it was
| only the first of the three parts of which
| Mitchels plan consisted, and he at once
entered on the second Friday, April / l
the very day on which we had reached
| Marketable arranged all affairs con-
nected with the railroad management on
a new basis, and started two trains loaded
with troops right into the midst of the
enemy's territory The first went west
ward to possess all the road in that direc-
ton and to open communication with the
armies of Buell. and Grant, then at Pitts
| burg landing which was successfully and
promptly accomplished. The other COM
manded by Mitchell in person, started
| directly eastward. How far it should 20
| depended partly on the resistance met. but
| still more ON the news that might be re-
| ceivcd from the Andrews raiders. The
little division of Mitchell presented on that
| clouded saturday morning II most active
and imposing spectacle to an eve capable
of embracing it all. Three different rail
road EXPEDITIONS were rushing forward in
rebel territory for ours was also
launched, and the other two, east and
west, were in full progress-while his re-
endorsements and the regiments which
had been OumnrChed were closing up on
the central position ut Huntsville. When
Mitchell halted II short distance from
bridgeport. Ala. and only about thirty
miles from Chattanooga, he knew that
the greater part OF his work was still
undonc The whole north was thrilled
by hi, success; he wa, made a
major genera. AMI congratulated by the
president, ara rnivrrd t. report directly
10 Waohinstnu: bul he Aucw that the key